Switch apparatus



Feb. 25, 1941. c,v WSH ER 2,232,822

SWITCH APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 aaHama he INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 1941- c.s. HOMS-HER I 2,232,822

I SWITCH APPARATUS I 7 Filed ocx. 20,. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 afiamakerINVENTOR @a'mf.

I ATTORNEYS 4-8 Patented Feb. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE seamswrrcn srrmrus a cm 5. 11m, Denver, Colo.

App cation October a, 19:1. Serial No. 110,111: 1 Claim. (01. see-s9)This invention relates to switch apparatus and has for an object toprovide a novel compact assembly of switches, telltale lamps and aflasher unit, which may be mounted within convenient reach of a driverand may be manipulated to flash a predetermined signal lamp, locatedpreferably on the body of the motor vehicle near the roof, or on anairplane at the end of the wings, or on a boat or steamship, toindicate-an intended I. change of direction or an intended stop ,or

landing A further object is to provide apparatus of this character whichwill be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts. which will bel. inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out oforder.

With the above and other obiects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood thatvarious modifications may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

In'thej drawings forming part of this j :is a front elevation of theswitch apparatus showing the push buttons, telltale lamb and flasherindicating windows, and lamp for illuminating the front of theinstrument casing.

Figure '2 is a rear elevation of the control instrument and showing theflasher unit mounted on the back of the rear cover, and showing the arear ends of the telltale lamp sockets.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken on the line3-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail cross sectional view of the reduction gearmechanism taken on the line H o of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 5-!of Figure 4 and showing the electric motor, the reduction gearmechanism, and the flasher switch mechanism.

a Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connections ofthe signal lamps, telltale lamps, and flasher switch contacts.

Figure '1 is a fragmentary rear elevation showing direction arrows forthe signal lamps located so near the roof of a motor vehicle.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line H ofFigure 5 showing the flasher switch contacts in side elevation;

Referring now to the drawings in which like ll characters of referencedesignate similar parts in the various views, ll designates aninstrument casing comprising a cylindrical wall II, a front wall l2, anda rear cover II which is removably secured in place by bolts II. Thefront wall is provided with a substantially triangular projec- 5 tion llupon the front face of which is mounted a lamp bulb II for illuminatingthe push buttons of the hereinafter described switches. A slotted shadell of conventional type is mounted over the bulb to conceal the bulbfrom the driver's 10 eyes. A push button switch II is mounted on theextension above the casing for controlling thelamp bulb circuit.Preferably four circular windows It, 2|, ii and 22 are formed in thefront wall of the casing, 15 two of these windows, namely, II and II,being located on a vertical median line of the casing, the window Itdisplaying the letter M indicative of a motor circuit hereinafterdescribed. The windows 2| and 22 are located on a horisontal median lineof the casing and display respectively an arrow pointing left, and anarrow pointing right. The window 2| displays an arrow pointing downwardindicating a stop.

Mounted on the inner face of the back cover u l3, and in cylindricalcasings I, are a plurality of lamp sockets 23, 24, II and II to receiverespectively telltale lamps 11, 2|, 2! and II, best shown in Figure 6.The telltale lamps are mounted in respective circuits controlled byrespective push button switches ll, 32, a and 3, best shown in Figures 1and 3. The telltale lamps are located back of their respective windowsI, 2|, II and 22 and illuminate these windows simultaneously with theenergizing of selected ones of the signal lamps and since the signallamps are connectedvin series with their respective telltale lampsshould one of the latter fail to glow v the driver will know that thetelltale lamp or respe'ctive signal lamp is not of good working order.The motor telltale lamp is connected in parallel with the motor so thatit only acts as a pilot light and does not flash.

Mounted on the rear face of the back cover I! a is an electric motor 35which is secured to a base it sufllcient in length to mount a reductiongear mechanism 31 and a flasher switch 38.

By referring to Figures 5, 6 and 8 it. will be seen that the flasherswitch comprises a pair of arms 38' which are fixed to the shaft llextending from a step-down gear mechanism designated in general by thenumeral 4| which mechanism is connected with the motor shaft 42. Aroller 48 is mounted on a shaft 44 secured to the II by screws I,concentric with the shaft ll. Inthe present embodiment of theinventionthere are six stationary contacts arranged in pairs, each pairbeing connected in a respective lamp circuit and the pairs beingdesignated respectively by the numerals ll, 41 and II.

The insulating block ll is provided with a cover M which is held inplace by a spring arm II, as

best shown in Figure 5. The cover preferably is formed of insulatingmaterial.

During rotation of the arm II the roller 43 will bridge the pairs ofstationary switch contacts successively and when the circuit of one pairof the switch contacts is closed by the driver pushing in the respectivepush button. the roller will close said circuit at the respective pairof switch contacts during each revolution and flash the signal lamps andthe pilot lamps of that circuit once during each revolution.

The signal lamps are preferably arranged on the body of the vehicle nearthe roof, both at the front and the rear to indicate the driver:intention to approaching traillc as well as to following tramc. Thesiflnal lamps designated by the numerals 5|, '2 and 53 and indicative"Right turn," "Stop and "Left turn," shine through respective windowsil, l and I0, best shown in Figure 7. These windows display arrowsindicating the direction of the turn,- one of the arrows pointingdirectly downwardand being indicative of the driver's intention to stopwhen illuminated.

The stem of'each push button, as best shown in Figure 3, confronts oneend of a respective knife switch II which is pivoted centraily as shownat 58 on an ear 5! that projects from the inner face of the front wallI! of the casing. The opposite end of the knife switch is provided witha roller OI which is selectively receivable in spaced notches 8i and I2formed in a lever I that is pivoted as shown at G4 at one end, on therear face of the front wall of the casing.

A helical spring '5 is hooked at the end over hooks it and 81 formedrcspectivelyon the lever 68 and on the ear ll to hold the rolleryieldably in either one of the notches. The stationary contact Ci of theknife switch is mounted on the rear wall of the casing and is of suchlength as to be engaged by the knife switch when the reward the knifeswitches and dislodge any switch which has been previously set by thedriver, irrcluding the motor switch. 1

' In operation the driver first pushes the push button 3! to start themotor and insure the selected lamp circuit being alternately opened andclosed at the flasher switch. He then presses the push button whichcorresponds to the turn in-' tended to be madewhereupon the respectiveturn signal lamps and the respecti'. epilot lamp will be flashed. Thedrivermay however push in both the motor-switch and the desired signalswitch simultaneously by using two lingers of the hand.

In case the driver intends tomake a stop the 7 same procedure. isfollowed except that the stop indicating push button is pushed-in. Afterthe turn has been completed the driver pushes in the central push'buttonI and'as previously stated the knife switch which has been set isdislodged to open the circuit-at thispoint.

From the above description it is thought that the construction andoperation of the invention is fully understood without furtherexplanation.

What is, claimed is: a

, i 3! In switch apparatus, a casing, a push button secured to thecasing having a stem projecting from one wall of the casing, an car onsaid wall terminating in a book, a switch, blade pivoted centrally onthe ear and extending across the push button stem, a lever pivoted onthe casing having spaced notches and terminating. in a hook, a helicalspring secured at theendstothe hooksof-the ear-and of the leverandholdlnlthe "switch blade in open circuit position, a stationaryswitch contact extending from said wall of such length as to be engagedby one end ofthe switch blade when the push button is actuated, a rolleron the other end of the switch blade'engaged in one of the'notches inthe lever when the switch blade is in open circuit position and engagedin the other notch when the. switch blade is in closed circuit position,a second push-button secured to the casing having a stem projecting fromsaid wall underneath that end of the switch blade engageable with theswitch contact and adapted to dislodge the"switch b1ade from saidcontact and dispose the switch blade in open circuit position.

g CARL S. HOMSHER.

